MakoShark72

Hello All,

We are thinking of driving up to Jasper and Banff this summer. I have never been north of Whistler on 99. Is the road OK for the GS? Looks to be, from Google Earth pictures...

Once we get up to Cache Creek and on to Jasper, I am familiar, but not the stretch just north of Whistler.

Thanks in advance!

Rob

Arches National Park, last May

c4cruiser

Check out these B.C traffic cameras.

I've only been to Pemberton, about 25 miles north of Whistler. That part is good road.

Any particular reason you are going that route? Canad 5 is 4 lanes all the way to Kamloops.

MakoShark72

We haven't been up to Whistler in a few years, and like to stay off the main highways.... looks very scenic, as do all the roads up there!

Thanks for the highway cam link.

Rob

MisterMidlifeCrisis

The missus and I are leaving for Banff one week from tomorrow. We're driving directly there in one day so won't be taking the roads beyond Whistler, but in the past when we've gone that way, the roads were decent but not super good.

However, I've heard the roads between Banff and Jasper can be pretty rough depending on how rugged the winter was, and if you're thinking of taking in some of those more out-of-the-way hikes, they can have trailheads down roads not suitable for a low clearance vehicle. I'll let you know as soon as we get back, two weeks from now. We're taking an SUV. Not so fun for the drive there, but if the missus wanted to go somewhere and the car we took couldn't do it, she's probably make me carry her there.

MakoShark72

Thanks! We probably won't go until mid-late summer. I am thinking now about taking a more direct route to Kamloops then up to Jasper, down the Icefields Pkwy through Banff, LL, and down to Glacier. We just prefer staying off the more popular (crowded) routes as much as practical.. Looking forward to hearing about the trip..

Rob

seattle

My wife and I took our 98 coupe from Jasper down to Banff on the Icefields Parkway. It was one of the most spectacularly beautiful drives I have ever done.

MisterMidlifeCrisis

Just wanted to give a quick mid-trip update. We've been here in the Banff area since last Saturday evening, and we've caught a streak of nice weather. We've hiked 30+ miles in the last five days, and one of those days was a light hiking day as we drove along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper.

This area is spectacular! The scenery is more stunning, if that is even possible, than Glacier National Park where we went a couple of years ago.

The Icefields Parkway isn't that rough. The northern half from Jasper to the Columbia Icefields area is worse, with a lot of blocky pavement joints and some semi-repaired cracks in the road, but nothing that would bother a Corvette. Actually, we've seen a lot of Corvettes, probably a good dozen or more, and several of them have been C7's. In general, the roads are in better condition than in the US because I don't think they allow studded tires even during the winters. All the road surfaces are in really smooth condition considering the winters they get here.

Upload speeds from here are pretty slow, and I've only managed to get one picture up. This is from a place called the Little Beehive at about the 7500 foot elevation mark, above Lake Louise which is in the background. Yes, it really is that color! We hiked from the Chateau at Lake Louise to the iconic Lake Agnes teahouse, where we had a pot of Earl Grey with biscuits and jam.



We're already planning several trips back. If you love the outdoors, this is a bucket list place to come to (Glacier NP is also).

JETninja

Ok, now you have me interested in doing this sometime with the Mrs....awesome looking!